At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage strategic partnerships to enhance scientific collaboration and improve human health.
- Company: Leading research institute focused on life-changing science and innovation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working, and a strong focus on employee wellbeing.
- Other info: Hybrid working model with opportunities for professional growth and development.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by shaping partnerships that tackle humanity's greatest challenges.
- Qualifications: Experience in partnership management and strong relationship-building skills required.
The predicted salary is between 55000 - 66000 £ per year.
About the Role
Do you want to help us improve human health and understand life on Earth? Make your mark by shaping the future to enable or deliver life‑changing science to solve some of humanity’s greatest challenges. The Cross‑Institute Partnerships Manager plays a key role in developing, coordinating and supporting strategic external partnerships that enhance the Institute's scientific environment and advance its strategic priorities. Working within the Strategy, Policy & Partnerships team, the role focuses on partnerships that span multiple departments, programmes or functions across the Institute, including collaborations with universities, research institutes, scientific societies, non‑profit organisations, research consortia and peer networks. The role translates high‑level partnership opportunities identified by senior leaders into meaningful collaborations with clear objectives, effective governance and measurable outcomes, and helps establish and continuously improve the Institute's approach to partnership management.
You Will Be Responsible For
- Developing and continuously improving the Institute's approach to cross‑Institute partnership management, including governance, tools, processes and monitoring frameworks.
- Coordinating the assessment and progression of strategic partnership opportunities, gathering information, facilitating stakeholder input and supporting decision‑making.
- Providing operational and alliance management support for existing Institute‑wide partnerships.
- Building and maintaining strong working relationships with internal stakeholders and external partner organisations.
- Supporting partnership meetings, visits, events and engagement activities, ensuring clear objectives, effective coordination and appropriate follow‑up.
- Leading operational project management for partnership initiatives, including consortium activities where the Institute acts as lead partner.
- Monitoring partnership progress, risks and outcomes, providing regular reporting and escalating issues where appropriate.
- Managing and continuously improving the Institute's partnership management system, ensuring opportunities, relationships, actions and outcomes are appropriately recorded and tracked.
- Producing high‑quality briefings, presentations and papers for senior leaders, drawing together information from multiple sources to support decision‑making.
- Working closely with colleagues across Strategy, Policy & Partnerships and other Institute functions to align activities, share best practice and maximise the impact of external relationships.
About You
You are an experienced partnership or stakeholder engagement professional who thrives in collaborative, complex and intellectually stimulating environments. You are comfortable working across organisational boundaries, bringing together diverse groups of stakeholders to deliver shared objectives, and have strong relationship‑building skills and the ability to influence and coordinate activity without direct authority. You combine strategic awareness with excellent operational delivery, enabling you to translate high‑level opportunities into practical plans and successful collaborations. You are highly organised, adaptable and able to manage multiple priorities while maintaining attention to detail.
Knowledge
- Understanding of academic research collaboration landscapes and strategic partnerships.
- Knowledge of alliance management and project governance approaches.
- Understanding of governance, stakeholder engagement and decision‑making processes within complex organisations.
Experience
- Managing multi‑stakeholder partnerships and collaborative initiatives.
- Coordinating cross‑functional teams to deliver complex projects and programmes.
- Building and maintaining effective professional relationships across diverse stakeholder groups.
- Working with senior leaders, academic stakeholders and external partners.
- Supporting initiatives that align partnership activity with organisational priorities.
Skills And Capabilities
- Excellent project management and organisational skills.
- Strong communication, negotiation and relationship‑building abilities.
- Analytical skills with the ability to monitor, evaluate and report on partnership performance.
- Ability to influence, coordinate and drive progress across complex stakeholder groups without direct authority.
- Strong judgement, prioritisation and problem‑solving skills in evolving or ambiguous situations.
- Ability to establish effective processes, governance approaches and operational frameworks for partnership management.
Hybrid Working
This is a hybrid role with 2‑3 days per week onsite. Salary £55,000 – £66,000 per annum.
Equality, Diversity And Inclusion
We aim to attract, recruit, retain and develop talent from the widest possible talent pool, and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, where everyone can thrive.
Our Benefits
Work‑life balance is highly valued. We support family‑friendly policies and benefits, including flexible working arrangements. We are proud to deliver a campus‑wide employee wellbeing strategy and programme.
Cross-Institute Partnerships Manager | Academic Research & Strategic Partnerships employer: Wellcome Sanger Institute
Join a pioneering institute dedicated to improving human health and understanding life on Earth, where your role as a Cross-Institute Partnerships Manager will be pivotal in shaping impactful collaborations. With a strong emphasis on work-life balance, flexible working arrangements, and a commitment to employee wellbeing, this organisation fosters a supportive and inclusive culture that encourages professional growth and development. Located in a vibrant academic environment, you will have the unique opportunity to engage with diverse stakeholders and contribute to life-changing scientific advancements.
